How do I build muscle while fasting in Ramadan?

Aim to maintain, not to bulk

In Ramadan your eating window is shorter, your sleep is broken by suhoor and taraweeh, and your energy dips in the afternoon. So treat the month as a time to hold on to what you built. A common approach is to keep your weights fairly heavy but do fewer sets, and avoid training to failure.

A simple training plan

• When: one to two hours after iftar, once you have eaten and had water. Plan around Maghrib, Isha and taraweeh.
• How often: two to four sessions of about 40 to 50 minutes, either full body or an upper and lower split.
• What: mainly compound moves such as squats, presses, rows and deadlift variations, with a few sets of each.
• Rest days: take at least one or two, and add a short walk on the others.

The timing options are compared in What is the best time to exercise in Ramadan? For the basic ruling, see Can I exercise while fasting in Ramadan?

Eating for muscle

• Iftar: break your fast with dates and water, pray Maghrib, then eat a balanced meal with protein, carbohydrates and vegetables.
• A second meal after training or taraweeh: eggs, yoghurt, chicken, fish, lentils or beans.
• Suhoor: eggs, oats, yoghurt or cheese, with slow-release carbohydrates. The Prophet ﷺ said, "Take Suhur as there is a blessing in it" (Sahih al-Bukhari 1923). See What is suhoor and what should I eat?
• Protein: sports dietitians often suggest roughly 1.6 to 2 grams per kilogram of body weight per day for people training for muscle. Spread it across your meals. A dietitian can tailor this for you.
• Water: sip steadily from iftar to suhoor rather than drinking it all at once.

Don't turn iftar into a feast

When you want to gain, it is tempting to eat as much as possible. Allah reminds us to keep a balance:

Big, heavy meals also make you sluggish for training and taraweeh. See Is overeating at iftar wrong in Islam? If you use protein powder, check the label for halal ingredients such as gelatin capsules or additives.